Athlete Who Won Race While Soiling Herself Comes Clean

WARNING: The video and images embedded below contain graphic footage involving bodily waste that some readers may find disturbing.

Australian athlete Joanna Wietrzyk has apologized and retroactively withdrawn from a HYROX race she won despite losing control of her bowels midway through and continuing to compete with feces running down her legs.

“I want to offer my sincere apology to the people of China, my fellow competitors, the spectators and the HYROX organizers for what happened during the race in Beijing,” Wietrzyk wrote in an Instagram statement Thursday. 

Wietrzyk, 24, said she “felt completely fit and healthy at the start of the race, with no reason to expect any illness.”

“Looking back, I regret the decision to not have stepped off the track. I recognize that I should have made a different choice,” the post continued. “I take responsibility for my decision to continue and am deeply sorry for the discomfort and disruption it caused.”

Wietrzyk suffered bowel incontinence during the September 12 HYROX event in Beijing but continued competing as feces visibly contaminated her clothing and parts of the shared course. She ultimately finished first in the women’s Pro race.

Photos and videos of the incident quickly went viral, prompting criticism of both Wietrzyk and race officials over the potential health risks to other competitors using the same equipment and workout areas.

An Australian competitor at HYROX Beijing suffered sudden fecal incontinence mid-race due to intense physical stress — but still pushed through and finished strong.

Race organizers confirmed they immediately isolated and disinfected the affected area, disposing of equipment and… pic.twitter.com/xWSKl6m3A3

— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) September 13, 2026

HYROX initially said it had “clear biocontaminant and medical procedures in place” but acknowledged that ambiguity over how those protocols applied to racing had contributed to the situation.

HYROX co-founder Moritz Fürste later issued a more direct apology, saying the organization “made a mistake by not reacting immediately during the race.”

“In the end it is my job to foresee these potential incidents — and I did not,” Fürste posted on social media.

Fürste said HYROX had implemented new rules and procedures intended to prevent a similar incident.

“I know my actions had an impact beyond myself, and I am genuinely sorry to everyone who was affected,” Wietrzyk wrote. “I am learning from this experience and will carry those lessons with me, including remembering that there is more to life than racing and knowing when it is right to step away.”

“On reflection, I have decided to retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points I earned,” she added. “I will be taking some time to recover,” she wrote while concluding her statement, “reflect and look after myself and my family away from the noise.”